1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to inflatable partitions, such as room dividers or shower curtains.
2. Description of the Related Art
The prior art is aware of room dividers and shower curtains.
Room dividers may be suspended from tracks in ceilings. Conventional room dividers may be collapsed when an open area is desired and extended to close off a predetermined area. For rooms with high ceilings, conventional room dividers place a great deal of weight on the tracks. When the room dividers are in the collapsed condition, there is even more weight per given track space on the portion of the track suspending the entire partition. This may necessitate repair or replacement of the tracks. Also, the conventional room dividers are more effective in eliminating sight distractions between adjoining rooms than in eliminating sound distractions. The sound-deadening/weight ratio of such room dividers is very low. Thus there is a need for a room divider which will eliminate both sight and sound distractions between adjoining rooms while not imposing undue stress on the tracks. The sound-deadening/weight ratio of such a room divider must be high.
Conventional shower curtains are suspended from support rods by a plurality of fasteners. Usually these fasteners fit around the support rods and through apertures along the top edge of the curtains. Conventional shower curtains are made of light-weight materials such as plastic and are very flexible. As a result, the air currents created by flowing shower water may dislodge the curtains from their desired position and allow water to escape from the shower enclosure. For purposes of this description, shower enclosure is intended to include those areas which contain a shower head and a floor containing a drain and those areas which include a shower head and a bath tub. Some shower curtains are known which contain suction cups which are located between the shower curtain and the bath tub or shower stall. The disadvantages of these conventional suction cups are pointed out in U.S. Pat. No. 2,840,160 to Tischenor. Improved suction cups are disclosed by this patent which are designed to overcome some of the disadvantages of the prior art suction cups. The suction cups of Tischenor have disadvantages in that they require the user to reach down to the lower edge of the shower curtain, whether it be in a tub or stall. This is an undue hardship on individuals with certain physical handicaps. Further, suction cups are for use with thin, flexible curtains, and the resulting curtain does not deaden sound. Thus, those singing in the shower can still create an annoying distraction to others in the area.
Inflatable walls are known. Thus, U.S. Pat. No. 2,830,606 to Daugherty teaches inflatable tents. U.S. Pat. No. 3,629,875 to Dow discloses self-supporting shower enclosures with or without partitions. Both of these patents are directed to self-supporting structures to be used by campers and the like and are not concerned with lightweight, suspended curtains to be used to divide large rooms or lightweight shower curtains to be suspended from support rods. Being intended for use in the outdoors, neither of these structures is concerned with the possibility of having decorative three-dimensional designs as part of the structure or permanent tracks supporting the partition.